Kisan Rail: Farmers set to benefit as India's first train to transport perishable commodities begins journey

In a move that is set to benefit farmers producing perishable commodities, Indian Railways launched the Kisan Rail service on August 7.

The train, which will run between Deolali in Maharashtra to Danapur in Bihar, will cover the journey of 1,519 kilometres in 32 hours.

"The Rail Kisan service will boost the income levels of Indian farmers. PM Narendra Modi believes Indian Railways is the engine which will drive India's growth prospects. Despite the difficulties brought by COVID-19 outbreak, our farmers and Railways ensured there is no shortage of food supply. A lot of steps have been taken for the benefits of Indian farmers and I salute the farmers of our country," said Railways Minister Piyush Goyal.

Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar hailed the move and said Kisan Rail would help the farmer get his due for his produce.

Also Read: 'Kisan Rail' to operate from today: Here are important things to know

"Kisan Rail and Kisan Udan were announced to ensure farmers are able to avail robust transport facilities. Although COVID-19 was a stumbling block. I am proud that Indian farmers displayed immense grit to continue farming activities. Farmer has proved that they are always ready to overcome any hurdle. During lockdown, Railways ran 4610 trains and as a result, there was no shortage of food supply," he said.

The train will halt at Nasik Road, Manmad, Jalgaon, Bhusaval, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Itarsi, Jabalpur, Satna, Katni, Manikpur, Prayagraj Chheoki, Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Nagar and Buxar.

The train, which will run on a weekly basis, is expected to build a national cold supply chain for perishable items like fish, meat and milk.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in her Budget speech earlier in 2020 announced that Kisan Rail and Kisan Udan services would be launched for seamless connectivity between agriculture marketplaces and consumers.

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